“Runnin’ scared, I was there, I remember it all too well” was freshman English Education major Natalie Kamp’s last Facebook status. An avid Taylor Swift fan, those lyrics from the artist’s song “All Too Well” were ones that she related to and that meant a lot to her, her best friend Zoee Schnell said.

“She recently learned how to play guitar,” Schnell said. “She immediately started learning how to play Taylor Swift songs. She learned how to play ‘All Too Well’ not too long ago.”

Most of the time when the two girls hung out, they would listen to Swift’s music. Natalie had a white-ink tattoo on her wrist that said “Fearless” with a heart next to it, Schnell said.

“We constantly listened to Taylor’s new ‘Red’ album ever since it came out – actually, she got it for me,” she said. “I was going to text her (Wednesday) and tell her that it was the best thing she’s ever gotten me, but I never got around to it.”

Natalie, a 19-year-old student, fell to her death from the sixth floor of the Casino Aztar parking garage Wednesday. Evansville police Sgt. Jason Cullum said it was confirmed a suicide by investigators.

Schnell met Natalie on the first day of kindergarten at Holy Rosary School in Evansville, she said.

“We decided that day that we were going to be best friends,” Schnell said. “Our brothers are the same age, and they were close. So when they would have sleepovers, I would just go over there too.”

Schnell’s favorite memory of the two of them together is from their first sleepover. Natalie had diabetes, so she wasn’t allowed to eat a lot of sugar, Schnell said.

“It was late at night and we were running to the kitchen, and we ran past her parents’ room and her mom yelled, ‘No candy, Natalie!’ and she yelled back, ‘We’re not!’ So we got Oreos instead and ate them in her brother’s bed,” Schnell said. “We left crumbs everywhere so we got caught.”

The two of them were always being goofy and spent an unbelievable amount of time together, she said.

“Our junior year of high school, in March, we convinced a teacher that her birthday was coming up, when it was really on Dec. 14,” Schnell said. “We made the teacher let us throw her a party complete with party hats and goodie-bags.”

She said they were always making fun of themselves because when they were together, they would sit around and eat tons of junk food and talk about their boyfriends.

“She agreed that we were meant to be best friends forever,” Schnell said.

Last year, Schnell went to the University of Indianapolis, but she and Natalie kept in touch. When she decided to transfer to USI this year, the two talked about rooming together, but Natalie decided she wanted to continue to live at her grandma’s house, Schnell said.

Junior nursing major Kristina Streeter worked with Natalie at The Donut Bank for about a year. They both left the job in the spring.

“I wanted to continue to hang out and stuff after we both left, and we did,” Streeter said.

She said Natalie could walk into a room full of strangers and make them fall in love with her instantly.

“She always brightened my day,” Streeter said.

Natalie was the definition of fearless. Her most admirable quality was her accepting nature, Streeter said.

“She took everyone exactly how they were and loved them for it – no individual was ever any less valuable than another for any reason,” Streeter said. “Everyone was equal in Natalie’s eyes.”

She said she’ll miss her crazy stories the most.

Natalie was in Associate Professor of English Julia Galbus’ Intro to English Studies and Ways of Reading course this semester. 

Galbus said Natalie had a vibrant, easygoing presence about her. 

“I’ll miss her creative energy and her playfulness,” she said. “I am shocked that she is gone.” 

Galbus said she was unaware Natalie had died until after the class met last Thursday. She talked to the class about her passing Tuesday, but refused to comment on the class discussion. 

For students who want support, Dean of Students Angela Batista said the university is trying to connect with students during this time.

“Any students that need support or want to talk can come to the counseling center or the dean of students office,” she said.